


⑨ Souls - The Mystic City

by YuuyaKizami21



Series: ⑨ Souls [3]
Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/F, Souls, Touhou PC-98 Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:20:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27121033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YuuyaKizami21/pseuds/YuuyaKizami21
Summary: A new quest is given to Cirno. She must locate Reimu Hakurei's whereabouts after she has gone missing during the fight against Ichirin.The Hakurei Miko helped maintain the great barrier for generations... And if Reimu dies, it all ends. The Gensokyo Cirno knew, will be gone.
Relationships: Cirno/Daiyousei (Touhou Project), Hakurei Reimu/Kochiya Sanae
Series: ⑨ Souls [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1973773
Kudos: 1





	1. The Passage

We took another step up on the stone steps that leads up to the shrine.

"Always makes me wonder, why do all shrines have steps this many? Who built this, a fitness teacher?"

"Couldn't agree more. Moreover, I'm tired of flying us around, Cirno-Chan."

"Sorry to have been a burden to you, Dai."

"Don't apologize. No hard feelings, though."

"Right."

We managed to reach the top of the hill, and we see the torii gate standing tall, but it was broken in half. Presumably by lightning? I will never know.

We walked around the shrine area, to look for things that we might have missed. As the both of us are inspecting the donation box, which is empty as always, we heard movement.

It was quick. We begin to turn our gazes as quickly as we could until we see the shadow of a horned being.

"Time sign - Clock Up"

After chanting that, I moved in a speed of light and managed to capture the being. It appears to be a dog spirit of some sort, which I have never seen before.

"Who and what are you?"

"I am... Komano Aunn. This shrine's komainu... I thought you were intruders so I tried to scare you out for a bit."

"If you're this shrine's koma whatever, tell me. Where is the Miko?"

"Well, I oversee the shrine area... But here's what I can tell you. She kind of opened some cave entrance at the small mountain behind the forest, behind the shrine."

"Where does this cave lead?"

"I don't know! Maybe you can find out... Just let me go already!"

"Cirno-Chan, let her go!"

Hearing Dai, I loosened my grip on Aunn.

"Go. But just because Dai wanted to. Go back, and oversee the shrine again."

Aunn quickly ran off, as Dai then approached my back, and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Should we really head there? We don't know what's over there!"

But I do remember seeing that cave in my vision, and that's where I'm going. I walked ahead, as Dai then followed. We walked through the dead forest behind the shrine, and found a small pathway leading up. Reaching the top, we find a cave entrance.

"This was never here whenever we came to play, Cirno-Chan."

"It is now. Because that Miko's gone through here."

Outside the cave is a small campfire, which I froze before we went inside. I presume that Miko made camp here before finally finding a way to open up the cave.

Inside is dark, as expected of a cave. I called over to Daiyousei, conjuring a fire ball for her to grasp.

It floats gracefully on top of her hands, giving warmth and light to it's surroundings.

We walked through the caves. We didn't stop to take a rest. Whatever lies deep inside this cave, I will try to brave the dangers it will give me.

Because, I, and that Miko are this world's last hope.

\- To Be Continued


	2. Iudex Sara, The Gatekeeper of Makai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cirno and Daiyousei discovers a cave they have never seen before. Perhaps Reimu went this way? Turns out, the cave is not all empty.

As we walk through the narrow slots of the cave, we feel dread covering our bodies, but our proximity dulls it down.

The fire still hovers above Daiyousei's hands, as bright as ever.

"How long is this passage? No wonder people avoided this."

"But Cirno-Chan, Reimu's the only person who's been here before, remember that when we're last here the entrance is not there?"

"You're right. I can't believe that Miko went on her way through this mess."

We continued to walk, until the passage begins to widen, we know we are approaching a wide section of the cave, and sure enough we see a red gate in front of us, covered in giant metal studs.

But that is not the only thing that catches our attention. We looked down to see a kneeling figure, with a large spear like weapon beside her. The spear is odd though, as it also had an axe light blade near it's tip.

The figure has white hair, as white as snow. She wears a white scarf and a red dress. On her chest, is a piece of ofuda that I've seen that Miko used before.

"She's not moving nor breathing. Like a statue..."

"Looks like her movement's constricted because of the charm." I said, before circling around her.

However Daiyousei is curious, and went closer to the figure and touched her in the shoulder. The shake is enough for the ofuda to unlatch itself from the chest, and it fell to the ground.

I widen my eyes, as Daiyousei took a step back.

"She's still not moving... We're alright. Maybe she's dead after all!"

"Dai..." I said, conjuring a short sword and a shield, both from crystallized ice.

I did it because I see her fingers twitching, and wrapping themselves around the pole of the strange spear. Slowly she stood up, and looked at us.

"Not dead, not dead!"

Daiyousei took a few steps back before falling on her rear, and the flame on her hands went off because of the fall. She started to scramble backwards, as I walked to her side, and readied my shield.

"This fight is mine, Dai. Let me handle her."

"You now face... Iudex Sara, Gatekeeper of Makai, Judge of whoever is worthy of passing it!"

She swings her spear around, which I evaded by jumping up, and I strike her down with my shield.

She was knocked backwards. Afterwards, I thrusted my blade into her body, but she manages to swipe it away using her bare left hand. She lifted her spear up, and tries to thrust it to me as well. I rolled out of the way in time, and I made some slashes on her which only lightly scraped her.

She turned around, before she uses her free left hand to deliver a fist towards me, which I knocked away using the shield. She recoiled from the hardness of the crystallized shield.

"So easy... Didn't even need to use a spell card against her..."

"Spell... Cards? What're those again?"

I raised a brow. She doesn't know what a spell card is? Then she is totally not from within Gensokyo... But possibly from wherever that gate behind her leads to.

"Nevermind what I said just now."

"Then enough blabbing, and continue our battle! We'll see if you're worthy of passing the gate!"

She then lurched forwards and raised her right knee a bit, which hits me in my chest, knocking me off guard. She then grabbed me by my throat using her left hand, lifted me up into the air, a few feet away from the ground, before she smashes my body back down.

Afterwards she lifted her spear, and strikes down the axe like blade of it. I managed to roll out of the way in time, and the axe blade hits the ground, getting stuck afterwards.

Using this as an opportunity to strike, I leapt back up and bashed her with my shield, knocking her away from her weapon, and I thrusted my sword into her throat.

And when I pulled out, blood sprays out as she then raised her hand to touch the wound. She shook her head slowly, before kneeling down and falling face first to the ground.

In an instant, I hear the gate opening as I reached for my flask to take a sip. It is slow, but after it eventually opens, I called out to Daiyousei, and she followed me deeper into wherever we are heading this time.

\- To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iudex is latin for "judge"


	3. The Flight Towards The Mystic City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beyond the gate, lies a massive black space where Cirno can finally fly on her own.

We continued to walk along the path beyond the open gate, until we find a small campfire, possibly made by Reimu.

"She must've brought a lot of firewood for this."

I froze the campfire, and we continued on our walk until we stop upon seeing that the ground has ended. Beyond is a vast dark space with white star light objects shining the abyss.

"Cirno-Chan, I think we should fly."

"Alright then..."

I felt a weight being lifted off me, and I hopped over to the edge, and I discovered that this space allows flight, and Daiyousei soon followed. We flew across the dark space, with Daiyousei marvelling at the sights of the stars all around the space.

"I wonder who created such a place... It's so majestic."

"Maybe we'll find out when we reach wherever we are going to, Dai."

We increased our flight speed, passing by many stars along the way and not stopping until we see it.

In front of us, is a figure wearing a white dress with a purple color, and a white hat with a purple bow. A ghastly aura surrounds her. The figure is backfacing us, as she then lifted another being up high before tossing it off, sending it to wherever this space leads to.

She turns around, revealing that she has yellow eyes, and blonde hair, not to mention that she also wields a longsword on her right hand, and a curved knife on the other. Both are bloody, which I assumed were from whoever she just killed. She didn't say anything at first, until Dai started.

"Excuse me... Uh, Miss? Do we mind if we ask you where this leads?"

"This road leads to The Mystic City.... You may have heard it as Makai by the people of your lands."

She said that in a cryptic tone, before asking "My name is Louise... Person of Makai... Who art thou, who seek passage to The Mystic City?"

"I... I'm a Greater Fairy, and this is Cirno-Chan... an Elemental."

"An elemental? It has been probably centuries ever since we last saw one."

Centuries? How old is she? Or maybe the time in Makai is different from Gensokyo?

"And... As I spot one... I shall slay thine friend. An elemental is a danger to every realms... Even The Mystic City."

"Cirno-Chan... I'm scared."

"Stay behind me, Dai. I'll handle her."

I conjured a crystallized ice sword and shield, taking a stance as the figure in front of us readied her weapons.

"Once I slay thee, then the realms would be safe."

"I guess you have to try first."

\- To Be Continued


	4. Louise, Person of Makai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cirno and Daiyousei encountered a being in the dark space. This being is named Louise, who sees Cirno as a danger due to her being an Elemental.
> 
> A fight is inevitable here.

"Let us begin..."

Louise begins her advance, swinging her sword down which I dodged by stepping to the side, but then she quickly brandished her knife which hits the crystal hard armor I wore.

In order to counter her, I hit her with my shield, and attempted to swing my sword down, but she blocked it using her own before kicking me.

I was sent back, but I managed to balance myself as to not fall into the abyss. I took a sip from my flask, before I made a stance with my sword, which made my shield melt away since I focused all my power in the sword.

Flying over to her, she thrusts her knife at me which I dodged, by using my time element to fast travel to the space above her, and I swing the sword down onto her, sending her falling down below.

"Flying thrust attack, level 2."

Afterwards I let my sword melt, and I conjure a bolt of lightning on my right hand before throwing it down below to the defenseless Louise. It hit her, causing her to tremble from the shock.

She then floated there, lifeless.

"Turns out she isn't even worth of a challenge..."

"Wait, Cirno-Chan! That ghastly aura is still there with her!"

I see the aura seeping into Louise's body, and she slowly raised her body, balancing herself in the dark space.

She looked up, at me. She reveals her glowing eyes, underneath her hat. She growls lightly, before she floated back up and made another stance.

She crouches down, like she's about to pounce. I shielded myself with my sword as she then blasts off in an unbelievable speed that I couldn't react to it in time. She manages to thrust her knife onto my armor which then breaks due to how hard the crystallized ice, which is the material my armor is from, is.

Afterwards I try to swing my own sword but she dodged to the side, and I feel a hard object hitting me on the back of my head. Afterwards, I can feel her sword slashing the back of my armor which is weaker than the front, shattering it and the armor fell off from my body, into the endless dark space.

But losing the armor made my movement much more faster as well. I spun around, and I manage to swing my sword once only to lock blades with her. I kicked her away, breaking her guard a bit before I charged forward with a heavy downward slash to her.

Of course she countered, by holding her sword with both hands, and parried my attack by pushing the sword off from her direction. She then thrust the sword forward and...

I feel a tingle. I looked down a bit to see the blade has penetrated my neck, and I held it for a moment, before looking at Louise in disbelief.

I fell backwards, as I see my life flash and my senses went numb. In the distance I could hear Daiyousei's faint screams, shouting my name.

I close my eyes, and everything went dark. When I opened them, I find myself back at the campfire just before the ledge that leads to the huge dark space.

How can I beat someone that fast...? After thinking for a moment and opening a magic box which Hijiri (secretly) gave me to store my items, I see something glowing inside. It's one of those stone cherries, and upon closer inspection I see the body of Aya Shameimaru, the fastest being in Gensokyo... A Tengu.

I had the urge to chant, and I did.

"Summoning sign - Aya Shameimaru!"

And the stone glows brightly, before the light materializes into a black haired girl wearing a tengu tokin hat.

"Ara...? Cirno, what are... Where are we?"

"Aya-San... I need your help for a moment. Your speed can be helpful for this."

"What? I don't know what's happening, but I'm in."

The both of us then flew into the space, until we see Louise, holding Daiyousei in a chokehold.

"Let her go!"

Louise growled in a low tone before she points her sword at me.

"So she's the opponent? Alright then!"

Aya then flew forwards, holding her fan and swings it once, causing a huge wave of wind to blow towards Louise. The wind strength is enough for her to unhand Daiyousei, and send her flying far behind. However Aya kept chasing after her, until a blade goes through her neck, and it protruded on it's back.

Louise recovered, and managed to counter attack Aya at the very last second. However she didn't know that I have something as well.

"Light Sign - Immortality Severance!"

I dashed forwards, with Roukanken on both of my hands, and I swing it once, as Aya glows in a bright light.

The light blinded the rest of us, and when it faded we see...

That my blade has decapitated Louise. Her head was sent floating across the space before it and the rest of her body broke down into cinders.

And when I looked at where Aya used to be, I see that she has returned into being a stone cherry. I grabbed it, and put it inside my magic box.

"Cirno-Chan... You're alright!"

I heard Daiyousei calling out, and I turned around to face her, only for her to gasp and shake in fear.

"What's wrong?"

"Cirno-Chan... Your left eye... It's glowing!"

Conjuring a mirror of ice, I looked to see that my left eye is indeed glowing and it's sclera is black.

"Dai... We might have a problem."

"W... What is it?"

"My soul... I think it's beginning to darken."

\- To Be Continued


	5. The Mystic City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After each death, Cirno may respawn. However, at one cost, her soul darkens each death. There's maybe a way to stop her darkening at The Mystic City.

"Your soul... Is darkening?"

"Remember my fight with my other half? Dai, I think she is taking over."

And it is true, as we speak I can still feel the chill on my spine, and I feel a clawed hand caressing my cheeks, and I hear her whisper, in a very faint sound.

"W... We need to get rid of the darkening, or else... I'll lose you!"

"I know, Dai. Let's continue on, we'll find where this space ends, and find a cure for me."

With that we flew through the space, as fast as we could. Along the flight, I keep stealing glances at Daiyousei who looked extremely worried about me.

What if my soul darkens completely? Will I still recognize her... As a lover? Someone who's the closest to me ever since my creation by nature?

Nevertheless we kept flying until we see land. We landed there, and we see that it leads to a cave exit. Before exiting I noticed a small campfire near the exit, which I then froze just in case.

We walked out, and a bright light shines upon us. We see a sunlit city in the distance, with buildings as tall as mountains. We made our way across the pointy stone pillars that block our way, by squeezing through them and we made it out of the cave.

After exiting I felt that weight on me again, my ability to fly has been stripped off again.

The both of us looked at the cave behind us, and I said,

"No going back, not till we find Reimu, Dai."

"I know."

We then turned our sights to the massive city in the distance, and we made our way down from where we are, a small mountain, using a dirt path that leads down to a stone one.

We walked along the stone road, until the city became much closer. It looked bigger to us when we're near.

Daiyousei kept gazing right and left, marvelling at the buildings, and the entire cityscape.

However something is amiss. If this city is this big, why haven't we seen any people? No signs of life whatsoever.

"Dai, I want you to fly up, find out some points that may interest us."

"Got it, Cirno-Chan."

I waited for a few seconds, trying to conjure at least an ice crystal. Even though other people couldn't see or feel it, I sense both.

Her presence, trying to take me over with each death I suffered. I feel losing control of my body, but I tried to resist by closing my fist over and over.

"Cirno-Chan! Snap out of it!"

I widen my eyes, as I see Daiyousei shaking my body over, and I try to rebalance myself.

"I'm alright, I'm alright..."

"You are not alright, we need to find you something... I did see the center of the city, and a huge temple like building over there."

But then we heard footsteps. We weren't alone. I conjured my sword and shield, of ice. Afterwards, the footsteps came closer and the figures reveal themselves from all directions of the streets. We are surrounded.

The people who surrounded us were all armored. Some wear full plates armed with a spear, most wear partially medium plates armed with their swords and shields, and the rest of the others wear light armor, their faces hidden behind a mask under a leather hood, and are armed with a sword and dagger. The most noticable thing about each of them is that they had a star emblem on their attires.

I conjured a crystallized greatsword, and I told Daiyousei, "Stay close to me, Dai. I got this."

One of them started attacking with their short swords, but I dodged and thrusted my sword into her before letting her go. Afterwards a spear wielding soldier tries to skewer me from behind which I dodged by jumping and flipping to the back, and I thrusted my sword through her back before letting her go, lifeless.

And then I felt it, a tingle that later becomes pain. one of the hooded soldiers plunged her dagger into my left hip, blood begins to seep out of it slowly.

I grunted, before slashing the hooded soldier's head off. Afterwards I chant, "Earth sign - Earthquake!" Which then caused the ground to shake, making the soldiers' footings crumble and they fell into each other, the weight of their armors made it hard for them to stand.

I took the dagger off from my hip, and I see the blood spraying out. Quickly, I froze the wound before I raised my right hand.

"Fire sign - Hail of Burning Fire!"

And a huge ball of fire then shoots out from my hand, to the sky before spraying down a hail of fire to the soldiers. The fires melted through their armors, and into their bodies, slowly killing them. Some were reduced to ashes.

I turned around to see Daiyousei crawling away from a surviving hooded soldier. I slashed her head off, before giving a hand to Daiyousei.

"Got you, Dai."

She took my hand and got up before hugging me. I hugged her back, before she said "Looks like that soldier you just... She got something."

We inspected her inventory, and within her armor and pouches we find a strange looking statuette, resembling a woman. There is a small engraving that says "Lady Shinki, The Almighty Creator of Makai."

"You familiar with this name, Dai?"

"No clue."

The statuette's chest also has a small gem which is glowing. It seems to react to my body.

I raised it up, before it then shatters into pieces. I can feel warmth, covering my entire being. Well, looks like heat doesn't hurt me as much as when I was still just an ice fairy.

"Cirno-Chan, you... You're back to normal!"

I looked at my reflection on the crystallized sword, and I see my eyes, and my body are back to it's former self. Normal eyes, and skin.

"Looks like that Shinki woman statue can cure your darkening, even if it's a one-time use."

"I guessed so, too. Her presence is no longer within me."

But then I must be careful, not to die too many times. Who knows, these statuettes are limited.

We continued our journey, with Daiyousei flying me over the corpses, to the city square.

\- To Be Continued


	6. Elis, The Last Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daiyousei, after curing Cirno's darkening soul, flew her towards the city square. Turns out, there is more to the square below the earth.

Once we landed on the city square we were met with a large statue in the middle. The statue bears striking similarities to that Shinki statuette.

"Whoever this Shinki is, I think this city is possible to exist because of her."

"She must be a goddess, Cirno-Chan. A good goddess, I hope."

"There are no 'good' goddesses, Dai."

"Why'd you say that?"

"Is the way those soldiers greet us, are good? They seems to be very devoted to this goddess."

"Maybe someone caused them to attack outsiders on sight."

"Perhaps."

We walked closer to the statue, and I touched the base of it. There is a small gem decorating the middle, and I touched it.

The ground shook.

"What did you just do?"

"I touched the gem... Oh, crud."

The ground beneath me cracks open, and I fell down into the abyss below. I managed to land on my feet, and because the ground below is sand, It kinda dims the pain a bit. Lucky, I wore shoes today.

"The intruder... The elemental."

"Who said that? Show yourself!"

"I am one with the darkness inside this formerly Ruins of Vina. Now, a huge square is built on top of it... Considering that you have unsealed my way out, I have to thank you, after I also beat you of course."

I turned around, and I see a barrage of danmaku heading my way. I quickly took cover behind one of the rocks.

"Former Fairy Turned Elemental... You are now facing Elis, Creation of Shinki, and The Last Devil alive in this world."

Last devil? So there is nobody else? Well, I did defeat Koakuma back then. But given the nature of Makai, shouldn't there be an abundance of devils? Why is there only the last one?

I raised my sword before noticing that I still wear no armor. It was removed by Louise back during the fight with her.

I looked at what is behind the stone, and her figure is seen.

Long blonde hair, which color resembles Rumia's, a pair of bat wings, a red bow as a headwear, a long sleeved blouse with a large red bowtie, and a red skirt. She also wears a pair of red shoes. Her eyes have slit irises, and on her left cheek is a red star mark. She is carrying a wand with a golden star on the edge of it.

"Now, show yourself Elemental, and prepare to be vanquished, so I can finally get my freedom."

"Not a chance."

I jumped on top of the rock and hopped off, with my sword drawn. I intend to thrust my blade into her while she is still midair, and giving her the element of surprise.

But to my surprise, she then transformed into a small bat and flew behind me.

I feel her arms wrapping around my body, before she then flew up and then diving back down to the ground with our heads heading straight to it.

The impact manages to ring a bell in my skull, my vision becomes blurry, and the pain is unbearable.

However, it seems that Elis has somehow let go of me before the impact before rebalancing herself. She taunted me by saying "Is this all?"

"No!" I shouted as I took a sip from my flask, removing the pain and restoring my sight.

"Ice sign - Icicle Fall!"

I manipulated the cold air inside the caved-in city square, and a rain of icicles pour down into the area. Elis managed to gracefully dodge each icicles which were slow on the fall.

She then used her wand to fire off more danmaku, and lasers which missed because I jumped back into cover behind one of the rocks.

I came back out, and I shoot out multiple icicles at her at full speed. However she dodged out of the way, and continued firing back.

"I need to bring her down somehow."

But then I realized that the size of her wings are bigger than her own body, which is a dead giveaway.

With a concentrated charge, I shoot a high speed icicle, as sharp as a needle which hits her in the right wing.

She grunted out in pain, before falling down to the ground. She pulled the icicle off, leaving a hole in her wing.

"I can't just shoot danmaku you know..."

She then spins her wand, and it turns into an axe. I conjured a crystallized greatsword in return, before we ran at each other and leapt in the air.

Our blades, from the greatsword and the axe locked onto each other, sparks flying as they grinded each other.

I managed to push her off, making her off-guard and I manage to land a slash on her stomach.

It hit her, but then she jumped back, before she flapped her wings, to glide at me. But because of the wound that I created on her right wing her gliding is slowed down.

I managed to dodge out of the way by rolling to the side, and I see her colliding with one of the rocks, before falling back to the ground rubbing her head in pain.

I dashed forwards, and leapt into the air before swinging my sword down on her, but she turned around with her axe, and hooked it around my blade before kicking me off.

"You fell for it."

She widened her eyes, as I conjured a lightning bolt on my left hand and threw it at her while I'm still mid-air.

The bolt hits her in the left wing, stunning and crippling her. Now she couldn't even fly properly with that wound.

I flipped once, and landed on my feet before I ran forwards and thrusted my greatsword into her chest. It went through, as she coughed out blood, and when I pulled it out she knelt down, before her body falls apart into dust.

"Cirno-Chan! Are you alright?" A voice called out from above.

It was Daiyousei, flying down searching for me. I called out to her, and she flew towards me, and lifted me out of the hole.

\- To Be Continued


	7. Doubts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daiyousei begins to feel if their journey would end up in nothing. She and Cirno argued about it.

Daiyousei landed me down on the ground above the caves, right near a small campfire.

"Must be made by one of the soldiers who weren't able to go home." I said as I froze the campfire.

The both of us sat down, resting.

"You know, Cirno-Chan."

"Hmm?"

"I think this whole journey is pointless, don't you think?"

"What makes you think of that, Dai?"

"We're here looking for Reimu. And if we fail, then what? It's pointless. The world beyond this city is dying, and here we are sitting beside a frozen campfire."

"We'll find her. Then we'll settle things back at Gensokyo."

"But to what end? We still haven't found her in this maze of a city."

"...Maybe you're right. But I need to see how my journey ends."

"Looks like there's no stopping you, always hard headed like a rock."

"You've said that to me millions of times even before the incident."

"This is no exception, Cirno-Chan! We don't even know how this will end. I had the worst sense of worry right now... If only you hadn't taken the Soul of Nature inside you."

"I get it. I was selfish, and now I'm reaping what I sow, possibly seeing an empty world after it ends."

"But I'm still with you... Even though it would be pointless, I think I should follow you, to the very end."

"Yeah, you're right."

I stood up, and so does she.

"Let's go, we didn't come all this way just to go home again, empty handed."

We walked out from the city square, and headed towards the towering building which seems to be the tallest in the city.

Along the way, more soldiers patrolled the streets, whom I defeated with ease. I also recreated my armor, and we continued our journey, not stopping until we stop in front of the gate to the tower.

"It reads Pandemonium... Maybe this is like, the Royal Palace or something?"

"It looked more like a fortress. But where are the guards...?"

"It seems strange that the soldiers and guards were all patrolling the streets, but not the place where maybe their leader lived."

"Now you're scaring me, Cirno-Chan."

It was then when we feel a presence behind us. When we turned around, there's nobody there.

It repeated, and we turned around to the fortress again, only to see nobody.

"Cirno-Chan! On your left!"

I took a step back, as a small sword flies right through my sight, and attaches itself to one of the walls.

I looked at the source to see the perpetrator.

"Forsaken Elemental, thou art not allowed passage into Lady Shinki's Domain. Thou art now facing Yumeko, Last Maid-Knight of Makai."

A woman, in a maid uniform holding a longsword. She has blonde hair, amber eyes, and she has multiple swords floating around her. Behind her is a star sigil, like those that the soldiers have.

"Thine path and journey ends here, Forsaken Elemental."

\- To Be Continued


	8. Yumeko, Last Maid-Knight of Makai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cirno and Daiyousei reached the edge of the Mystic City, where the massive fortress known to many as the Pandemonium is located. However, getting inside proves to be troublesome, as a Knight blocks their way.

The swords circling around Yumeko then rotates around her, like a wheel before one randomly flew towards me. I took a step to the side and it flew pass.

"Dai, go!"

This isn't an opponent that I can fight alone...

As the swords continue to fly towards me like a storm, I hid behind a wall, and I opened my magic box.

I see a glowing stone cherry, and I took it. It has Meiling's soul.

"Summoning Sign - Hong Meiling!"

The stone cherry then erupted in a bright light and when it dissipated, a scarlet haired girl wearing an outfit with mixed green and white colors appear. She stood up slowly, and looked at me.

"Where am I?? Is the Mansion?"

"Gatekeeper, stall her!"

"Stall who?"

"That!"

Meiling looked at Yumeko who is prepared to rain down a storm of swords towards her. She gasped, as the swords started flying towards her, which she dodged gracefully, not even one blade scratches her skin.

Afterwards she rebalance herself before running towards the Maid-Knight, before jumping up, and kicked her as she raised her sword to guard against it.

However, despite it looking like a light kick, she managed to shatter Yumeko's guard.

I ran forwards, and used Meiling's shoulders as a launching pad, as she crouched down. I jumped into the air, with my sword in hand.

However, Yumeko manages to regain her posture, and strikes down her sword after raising it a bit. I got blown back by the sudden move which parried off my attack, and she manages to land a scratch on my armor.

Yumeko then swings wildly, as I jumped backwards a couple of time before Meiling ran in, and begin to fight her hand-to-hand. Meiling's speed and technique managed to break down Yumeko's stance as Meiling kept using her palm to hit each part of Yumeko's body before she manages to make a move.

Meiling ends her combo with an overhead kick which sends Yumeko down to the ground forcefully, with her head hitting it first.

Yumeko stood back up slowly, and twitches her finger once. A second later, Meiling looked down to see a sword had went through her back, and it's blade protruded from her stomach.

Meiling knelt down, before she erupted in a white light, and after it dissipated she returned into being a stone cherry.

"Thou sent puppets to fight me, Forsaken Elemental?"

"I know she won't last long, but at least your guard is off now, and I know your moves!"

I readied my sword, as she readied hers.

"Why aren't my swords...?"

"Oh, I froze them in their tracks, right after you disposed of my so called puppet!"

"Alright then, tis' shalt be a honorable battle!"

The both of us marched towards each other with our swords drawn, and we strike at the same time.

Our blades lock onto each other, before Yumeko proves herself to be the superior, and parried me off. Afterwards she kicked me in the stomach which pushed me back before she thrusted her sword into my chest but my armor deflected her thrust.

She then raised her sword before bringing it down, as I am still recovering on the ground. However I managed to block her attack in time by striking her sword off with my own.

The recoil pushed her back a little as I stood up, and made a quick step forward and making my own overhead slash.

It hit her, and I raised my sword again to strike her, as she tries to block. However I feinted it, and instead I used my left fist to break her guard by punching her.

She was sent a few feet away, before she then dashed at an unbelievable speed whilst thrusting her blade, which I dodged, and stepped on it's edge before using the sword as a ladder to get onto her back.

I thrusted my blade through her back, and I twisted it until I hear a crack. As I pull it out, it turns out my sword had managed to pull out her spine out of her body.

Yumeko slowly knelt to the ground before collapsing. Her blood pools around her body, as I removed the spine from my blade.

As it turned out, I manipulated my sword's shape into a hook just after I plunged it into her back.

The gates into the fortress opens, and Daiyousei ran towards me.

"This is it, Dai. Maybe Reimu is in there."

"Maybe..."

We entered, and we find ourselves in an interior similar to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. However there are also banners with that 5 pointed star.

We walked around, calling out for Reimu, but we find nothing. We checked each room, including the barracks, the maid room, the dining hall, until we reach the top floor which leads outside. We find ourselves in the high walls of the fortress leading to a tower.

We head there, and opened the door to see the throne room, and within the throne room we see...

A white haired figure sleeping on her throne, wearing crimson and white. Her hands clasped around a crystal ball. Beside the throne is a small table with a black book.

"This is..." Daiyousei started.

"She looks just like the statues we've been seeing."

She is, undoubtedly...

Shinki, the Goddess and Creator of Makai.

\- To Be Continued


	9. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inside Pandemonium they find no guards, and no maids, nobody. Except for Shinki.

I went closer to the sleeping figure.  
"No guards, no words. Just you, Sacred One. Sleep in Peace, Shinki-Sama."

I looked over to the table, and opened the book. It is her notes of her creations.

I flipped through the pages, after seeing the contents. Sara, Louise, Elis, Yumeko and even Alice Margatroid... They're all her creations?

But then I see one page in particular. The Mystic City's Soul of Nature.

"The Soul of Nature, despite it's size, is a very important piece to finish the creation of Makai, and The Mystic City, consisting of 8 elements, namely Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, Ice, Thunder and most importantly, Time. The reason the Mystic City looks so well maintained is because of the effect of the Soul's time element which I used to freeze it's state. It has been centuries now, while in Gensokyo... That Land that I wished for my people to be able to gain entry... I don't know how much time passed there. If anyone ever finds this note, it means that I am already asleep. If you ever find the soul in my grasp, do not ever attempt to separate it from my touch. Never tell anyone about the existence of it in my grasp, tell them that it is buried in the Ruins of Vina, somewhere in the Mystic City, or even say that I have dropped it into the Sanzu River in Gensokyo. The soul must not be separated."

So that's the reason why the city looks so well maintained, neat and tidy despite the lack of people living. Makai's Soul of Nature managed to preserve it all. It is, undoubtedly Shinki's greatest creation... And the most fragile one at that. Everything we've seen is an illusion, on top of it all.

As I finished reading, I see Daiyousei walking closer to the sleeping goddess, and she slowly reached out her hand.

"Dai, don't touch--"

But it's too late, her nails touched the soul, and it shatters into pieces. Daiyousei widened her eyes in shock, as Shinki then raised her head to look at us, opening her eyes for a bit.

As we stare at her gaze, the room is filled with a bright light which blinded us.

It took a couple of seconds for the light to dissipate, and when we open our eyes we see what happened.

The room looks like it has been abandoned for eons, with cobwebs scattered all over, the windows behind the throne were shattered open, and the sunlight is dimmer than before.

As for Shinki, her body remain seated on the throne, although her body is already a skeletal remnant of her self. Her eyes are hollow, since there are no eyes to begin with, and so little skin is seen. Her clothes, which are once majestic for a goddess is now torn apart, tattered into pieces due to time. She still held the shattered fragments of the soul.

"Dai... Please, fly out and see what it's like out there."

And Daiyousei complied. She flew out, and a few seconds after she returned to me, saying "I think you should see what happened as well."

Before going out, I noticed that in the center of the room is a small campfire. Which means that Reimu was not affected by the Soul's influence on the city and us.

I froze the campfire, and thank goodness it worked due to the fact that it's dark and cold inside the former throne room. We headed out through one of the windows behind Shinki, and we see what happened.

What once was a sprawling city with buildings as tall as mountains, were buried in mountains of sand. A harsh wind blows through the landscape, and the sun is darkening. This is undoubtedly, Makai's true condition after eons.

"Isn't that the cave where we entered the city from?"

"It is. Maybe we can go back to Gensokyo now. We failed to find Reimu after all."

We walked forwards, although the sand slows us down. With each step our feet gets buried inside them. Daiyousei also couldn't fly, in this heavy sandstorm. If she did, she would have crashed herself instantly.

We walked until we descend a slope, where we see a worn out sign that says "Tomb of Mikos."

I also read that part in Shinki's book. This tomb... Is where the souls of the previous Hakurei Mikos were entombed. Their dark souls, from the hatred of the people from the human village resides there at the tomb. Below the sign we see a soldier of Makai, crawling slowly with her eyes falling off her sockets, and her body begins to crumble.

"Shinki-Sama... The crimson slasher... Has come to... Consume the souls..."

We widened our eyes and quickly headed towards the tomb where we see a girl in red and white shrine maiden clothing, letting 8 hitodamas into her body. She turned around and sees me. Beside her is an empty stone coffin with a yin-yang embossed on it's side.

"What, still here...? Hand it over... That thing..."

She pointed her finger at me.

"...Your Soul. For Gensokyo's survival..."

\- To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hitodama: A Spirit, in the shape of a fireball


	10. Reimu, The Last Hakurei (I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They found the very person that they were sent to Makai for. And now, that very person attacks them.

Reimu starts to run at me on all fours, like a wild animal. She swings her stick once which I dodged, but then she used her legs, to sweep me off making me fall to the sand below.

She raised her stick quickly and thrusted it into my neck which is not covered by my armor. It went through, hitting my windpipe.

It's getting hard to breath, as she just twisted the stick before beating my face down using her left fist. I couldn't struggle against her, before I feel my life flashing.

She then raised me up by grabbing me at the throat.

I choked out, spurting blood from my mouth. The blood stains Reimu's face, who then licked it off. She then proceeded to toss me to the area behind her.

I was sent flying towards a wall, and the impact from it made my body tremble. As I landed back down on the sand I stood back up slowly before taking a sip from my flask which heals my wounds from before.

"Just let me have your Soul, then Gensokyo can survive..."

"What has gotten into you, Hakurei Miko...?"

She then moved on all fours again, and swings her stick horizontally which I block this time, but then she chanted "Divine Arts - Wind God Kick!"

To which she raised her right leg up to kick me in the chin, which then repeated as she flipped 3 more times, I was sent flying to a mountain of sand, which then crumbles and buried me underneath.

"Earth Sign - Sand manipulation!" I manipulated the sand, and made it into a wave which surges towards Reimu.

However, she just cuts through the sand tsunami using only her stick which then hits me right in the face, before she kicked me again.

I was pushed back, and I took a sip from my flask, quickly before conjuring a short sword of ice. As she moved towards me to make another swing using her stick, I rolled over to the side before making a wild slash which hits her, but didn't flinch her.

She then changed direction to where I am, and jumped up holding her stick with both hands, attempting to jab that thing through my body.

I dodged to the side, before I shoot out some icicles at her. She just grazed through them and strikes down her stick at me, which I blocked with my blade.

We lock our weapons together before she then lurched in and bit my neck. I tried to hold in the pain as she then tore the skin off my neck, revealing the flesh underneath, leaking blood.

I knelt down, before collapsing to the sand and everything went black.

I find myself reawaken at the throne room, and I ran back out to where Reimu is, this time with a crystallized greatsword.

I shoot out a couple of icicles at her which she shatters with her stick. She then proceeded to charge at me with her stick's end pointing towards my right eye.

The attack landed, I got no chance to dodge, and I screamed as she twisted the stick which latches itself onto my right eye socket, before pulling out. She then licked the eye, only adding to the insult.

I held my right eyehole, before I closed it, before I threw my greatsword at her which she caught using only two fingers, and she tossed it back at me.

"You fell for it!"

I manipulated the shape of the sword in midair, turning it into a spear which I caught, before I jumped up, and jabbed the unsuspecting Miko through her chest.

I took a sip from my flask which restored my eye back, while the eye which Reimu had on her hand melted down. I reopened my right eye, and readjusted it's vision until it isn't blurry.

Reimu pulls the spear out before she knelt down, her blood pouring down to the sand below. 8 hitodamas begin to surround her, before settling themselves inside her body.

The surrounding landscape begins to darken as dark clouds formed from out of nowhere, obscuring the sun that Shinki presumably had created to light this land.

"Ahh... Is this the power...? The Power of The Previous Hakurei Mikos?"

Reimu stood up slowly, as her stick glows when a hitodama went inside it, manipulating itself to become longer until it ends in a curved blade. Reimu's eyes are glowing white, with black slits and scleras.

This is getting out of hand, if this thing gets to Gensokyo, then all will be lost, instead of making it surviving.

\- To Be Continued


	11. Reimu, The Last Hakurei (II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reimu succumbs into the effects of the 8 Dark Souls of the Previous Hakurei Mikos, reducing her into nothing more than a killing machine.

Reimu readied her spear, as I conjured my own spear before taking a stance.

She walked slowly towards me, as I stayed on guard.

And, suddenly Reimu vanishes into thin air right in front of me. I widened my eyes, to look left and right for her, until I feel a presence behind me. I ducked down, to avoid a swing from her spear, before I used my leg to sweep her down to the sand below.

As she lied on the sand, I fired a few obstacles which she blocked using a magic barrier, point blank.

Afterwards, she swirled on the sand, sweeping everything around her only using her leg, which tackled me to the sand below before she then swings her spear to me. The spear hits, and broke my armor much to my surprise.

She flipped a few feet backwards, before she pulls out a strange contraption using her free left hand that shoots out arrows, the only difference is that the arrow flies straight instead of a lob.

I stood back up quickly, and conjured a shield of ice, which couldn't hold all of her 12 shots. The shield breaks at the last shot making me kneel down from the recoil.

Reimu jumped up, and swings her spear down in an attempt to crush me, which I barely dodged by rolling over to the side before pulling out Roukanken from it's scabbard.

"No choice, I had to stop her."

Her missed swing hits the sand, burying the blade deep inside. As she struggles to pull it back out I used the chance to swing the blade of Roukanken to slash her body 3 times. However she doesn't flinch, and she finally pulled the spear back out before swinging it down onto me, who is still attacking.

The blunt part of the spear hits me right on top of my head, ringing a bell inside.

My vision became blurry, as Reimu then thrusted her spear through my broken armor which pierced through it and my body underneath.

I coughed out a little amount of blood before I pulled Reimu's head in for a headbutt which knocked her away. Her grip on the spear made her pull it off from my body, and blood begins to pour out from the wound.

I took a sip from my flask, before I noticed that my magic box had fallen after she had thrusted that spear into me.

"Dai, open that box, see if there's a glowing stone cherry!"

Daiyousei complied, and quickly headed over to the box, and opened it.

"This one!?"

"Yes! Whose soul is inside it? Look closely!"

"It's the Moriya Miko!"

"Good, toss it to me!"

"You plan to summon her!?"

I parried an attack from Reimu, before I kicked her away making her kneel a few feet away from me. She begins to throw a bunch of ofuda at me which I grazed through. I grunted before I shouted,

"Just toss it to me!"

And Daiyousei threw the stone cherry towards me which I caught easily with my free left hand.

"Summoning Sign - Kochiya Sanae!"

The stone glows brightly, and when it dissipated, a figure slowly stood up. A green haired girl wearing a blue and white, non traditional Miko uniform.

"What... Happened? Aren't you the Ice Fairy? Where am I?"

"Moriya Miko! Woo her!" I shouted.

"Woo who?" Sanae begins to glance left and right, which are all sand.

"Your lover!" I shouted again with a weirded out expression.

Reimu floated gracefully behind her, as Sanae gulped and slowly turned around. She whimpers a bit, but stopped before putting on a cool and collected expression.

"Hello~?" Sanae begins, with a sing-song voice.

Reimu blushed a bit, before tilting her head in confusion.

"Is it me you're looking for~?"

They begin to enclose the distance of their faces, their lips are about to touch as Sanae continued to sing.

"I can see it in your eyes~"

As their lips are now millimeters from each other, Reimu suddenly pulled back, and held her spear's curved blade on Sanae's neck.

"Uh oh."

Sanae ducked down, as Reimu then realized that it's a distraction. I landed a punch onto her chin, sending her flying upwards as I position myself right below her.

"Ice Sign - Perfect Freeze!"

I raised both of my arms up, and opened my palms, before a large ball of freezing energy materializes. It then scatters in a flurry of danmaku. However since Reimu is right in the center of the attack, all the danmaku directly hit her.

Reimu is then sent flying back up before landing a few feet away from me. She stood up slowly, her body trembling.

"So uhh, what's happening?" Sanae asked in a squeaky voice.

"She's happening." I replied, as I walked closer to her, the hilt of Roukanken gripped firmly on my hands.

I raised it up slowly, until I hear Reimu groaning. Her groans then escalated to a maniacal laughter, as 7 yin-yang orbs begin to materialize around her, and I jumped back.

She looked up, at me revealing that she has gone hollow. There are dark markings on her face.

"Oh, Great.... Can you just give me a break...?" I asked.

This Reimu is no longer attached to any emotions or anything else other than the instinct to destroy.

I won't allow it.

\- To Be Continued


	12. Reimu, The Last Hakurei (III)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It gets even worse, as Reimu's soul becomes hollow, allowing the 8 souls to take full control of her. Reimu has no more emotional attachment in this state. The final battle, in the end of the world, is about to begin.

The orbs revolved around the caster, Reimu in a violent speed, causing a tornado of sand which surrounded the tomb.

As the sandstorm blew all around the tomb, lightning begins to strike down from the skies onto random areas of the tomb, one of which struck me, before I deflected it using Roukanken, and used the flow to slash Reimu.

The slicing thunder flew straight to the Hakurei Miko, who just knocked it off to another direction using her spear, and the orbs begin to revolve faster as she prepared more ofuda to throw.

She threw the ofuda which starts to glow in midair which follows me around like a homing missile from the Kappa. I managed to evade them by somehow grazing myself through them.

Afterwards I ran to Reimu and gave her a hefty punch on her cheek. She barely flinched, and her grin becomes wider as the orbs around her begins to glow.

"That's... Fantasy Heaven! Fairy, get out of there! You won't survive through that!"

I gasped, as I heard Sanae's warning. The orbs' revolution becomes even more faster this time before they glow in a black light. I conjured a dome of crystallized ice around me, as I see the orbs emitting hundreds or even thousands of ofuda shaped danmaku.

The dome barely managed to hold itself against the ofuda storm which then broke, and a hand reaches out to grab me in the neck.

Reimu pulled me out of the broken dome before she proceeds to slam me into the sand below. She then forces the blade of her spear onto my neck, which I resisted by grabbing onto the spear's shaft.

The both of us struggled, until I see Sanae shooting star shaped danmaku at her former lover. Daiyousei also proceeded to join in by shooting small bursts of danmaku, which all hit Reimu, although she doesn't flinch as if they were just cotton being thrown to a rock.

She stood back up slowly, and she threw a barrage of ofuda at Sanae, which pierced through her body making her cough out blood, but I managed to save her by undoing the summoning, returning her into being a stone cherry.

I stood back up quickly and I wrap my hands around Reimu's neck. I gripped onto it, not letting go as she begins to choke.

She kicked me off, before flipping our positions together so that she strangles me instead.

Her eyes glow brightly as I gaze at them, and she begins to open her mouth. A mysterious force also forced me to open my mouth, and we witnessed what happened. The Soul of Nature, which is stored inside of my body is being extracted away into her body.

I struggled, as the soul is halfway on it's path to Reimu's body. However I couldn't resist her, and the soul goes to her even faster and upon reaching inches from her mouth, I see a figure tackling her away to the sand, before pulling me back up.

The soul returns into my body, and I looked up to see my savior.

It's not Daiyousei.

"What took you so long...?"

The figure stood tall in front of me, wielding her longsword as she floats gracefully in the middle of the storm.

"...Piece?"

"I've learned a couple of things and I am here, to assist you. Perhaps Gensokyo still has a chance, after all."

The Star Spangled outfit wearing fairy took on a stance as Reimu stood back up. I took my own stance as well, with Roukanken on my hands.

"However, I am here not to save Gensokyo. I just learned that perhaps Star's soul is somewhere on your possession."

"Box's at Daiyousei."

Piece took a glance at her and made a small smirk.

"Let's do this, my rival."

Reimu then vanished into thin air, and appeared behind us.

"Go!"

The both of us reversed our blades, and thrusted them to the area behind us, which goes through the stomach of Reimu. She begins to cough out blood, before she giggled a bit.

Thunder begins to strike on the tomb, randomly. We took our time dodging every single strikes which were warned by the small light on the sand before the strike.

"Let's do this, Chills!"

"Alright!"

Piece begins to shoot out a barrage of lasers and star shaped danmaku that should be hard to dodge, and I increased that difficulty by using "Ice Sign - Icicle Fall!"

The danmaku from both our attacks hit her, but not all of them hits. She managed to conjure a barrier, which held back the rest of the attacks until we stop.

"Spirit Sign - Fantasy Orb..."

Several orbs of black light begin to appear behind her, and they surged towards us, which we shielded off using my ice wall I conjured in time. But by the time I undid the wall, she vanished.

"Above us!"

We see her diving down towards us with her spear. The both of us raised our swords, and parried off her aerial attack, pushing her back off to the sand.

"Now!"

The both of us shouted as we imbued our swords, mine with light, and Piece with hellfire, and thrusted them into Reimu's body.

We pulled our blades out, and She begins to scream like how a demon would, and she gripped her head in pain before she knelt down and collapsed onto the sand.

"It's over."

"Yeah."

Piece then showed me her left fist. I looked at her for a second, as she smiled warmly. I smiled back, before I knocked my fist into hers.

Daiyousei came out from her hiding, and ran towards me.

"What are we going to do now...?"

I crouched down, and held a finger onto her neck. There's still beating.

"She's still alive. Let's get her back."

"But won't she...?"

"She won't. The Souls of the Previous Mikos have left her after our last attack."

Clownpiece nodded, before she and Daiyousei carried the unconscious Reimu on their shoulders, and they slowly floated off, as I follow them back to the cave which we came out of to enter The Mystic City.

Piece and Daiyousei went inside first with Reimu on their shoulders. I turned by back once on the once sprawling metropolis, turned into an ashen wasteland with only sands and buried ruins.

I smiled a little, before I turned around and went inside the cave, in order to return to Gensokyo.

\- To Be Continued


	13. An Ending To Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having retrieved the Hakurei Miko, Cirno and her allies return home. What lies ahead, is up to Cirno to decide.

We flew, we floated, we walked. And at last after what seems like forever we finally are home, at Gensokyo.

However, the darkness had blackened almost everything on our path and I had to light a fire.

"Hey, door lady! We've done bringing the Miko back! Reveal yourself!"

"Cirno-Chan..."

"No, let her." Piece held Daiyousei back.

"Get off from me." Daiyousei pushed her off.

We walked to the Hakurei Shrine, which is now as cold as it is during winter. We light up the lanterns and candles around the shrine, and we see that the gate has been cut in half.

"How long have we been gone...?" I asked.

"Only a bit. The absence of the Hakurei Miko causes the degradation of the shrine. I worry more about the barrier, though."

I turned around to see Okina, appearing from a door she had created.

"I see that you have succeeded. Now, hand the Miko over to me... And you shouldn't be facing me when you're darkened." She tossed me a statuette of Shinki. Must've been a gift from her during the time they were together.

Daiyousei and Piece then puts her down, on the cold grounds of the shrine as I used the statuette to restore my soul.

Okina then chanted a prayer which then made a hitodama unleashes itself from Reimu's body.

"It is faint, so faint that it is impossible to save this world."

"So, this is all for nothing...?"

"I'm afraid so, yes. In saving this world and Gensokyo."

I looked down, in failure. There is no hope in saving Gensokyo. If only I had given those elements back to the Soul, then--

"But, this is enough for me to create a new world, a new Gensokyo."

"Really?"

"Yes, indeed. However there will be a price for creating a new world. I would need this Gensokyo's Soul of Nature as well."

I shook.

"And doesn't that mean that you have to...?"

"No. I won't slay you. But, you shall decide what the world consisted of. Then, I shall take that Soul, and after the creation of the new world you and your friends there will live your normal lives. However, only you and your two friends behind you shall remember what happened in this world."

We stood there for a moment as I think of what should I do. Well, it's better than nothing.

"I agree. I'll hand over the Soul to you."

"Very well, then. Shall I ask you another thing, Fairy? What is your name?"

My name?

"I am Cirno.... Why are you asking that, door lady?"

"I think that the new Gensokyo would be named after you. You wanted that, don't you? You would be seen as superior in contrast to all other life forms in the new world."

That's it? If the new world is named after me, I'll truly be the strongest, most superior being that ever exist there? This is so good to be true, but...

I looked at Daiyousei and Clownpiece, who are inspecting my magic box, searching for Star's soul. I took another look at the area beyond the shrine gate.

"So, what is your decision, Cirno... Strongest Being?"

"I refuse."

And for a good reason. The reason this Gensokyo ended is because of my selfishness and pride due to the power I possessed. And with my darker half trying to take over me, I realize that too much power is indeed, a cause for disaster.

"A noble choice. Now, shall we decide what will be added in this new Gensokyo...?"

I have seen enough power for one life, anyway.

As I speak, Okina then extracted the Soul of Nature from my body, returning me into a mere, lowly Ice Fairy.

The Soul, and Reimu's Spirit then glowed in a bright light which blinded all of us, and we had to close our eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I see myself sitting beside Daiyousei on the shores of the Misty Lake, the sun's rays reflected on the pure waters of the lake. She is pouring a cup of tea from a kettle.

"Koakuma gave me this, it's delicious."

I looked down, to see that I wear no armor, although Roukanken, and it's scabbard is still beside me. I pulled the blade out a little bit, to see that it glimmers in light.

I smiled a bit. Maybe I should hide it away. If it falls to the wrong hands, I dread what will happen.

"Cirno! Daiyousei! Want some lampreys as a side dish!?"

I turned my gaze around to see Misty, running along with her food cart.

"Of course!"

Now in this world, Misty and Piece no longer seek to be more powerful than me. It is because of a curse that I had told Okina to create, in order to create a Gensokyo, where too much power would create a disaster.

Not long afterwards my other teammates Wriggle and Rumia, along with the 3 Fairies of Light, Piece and Lily, we had a feast on the lakeside.

We could have not been any happier than we are now. I just hope that in this Gensokyo, things will always go peaceful.

I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose at first, but drawn forward like a moth to a distant moon. And here, at last, I discover a strange truth. That I am only a conduit for a fate that eludes my understanding. Who am I, who has been so blessed, to have a saga like this, travelling through realms? Maybe here, in the new Gensokyo life would be better, and there would be a way for all this suffering to end.

My name is Cirno, the Strongest Fairy alive. And my tale, has reached it's end.

⑨ SOULS  
End~


End file.
